Report assesses emergency response to Binghamton shooting

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — A review of emergency crews’ reactions to a shooting rampage that left 14 people dead at an immigration center found communication problems ranging from how emergency radio traffic was handled to difficulty helping victims and relatives with limited or no English-language knowledge.

The report released Tuesday generally praised responders’ training and quick action. But it also cited the need for a more unified command, noting that fire and emergency medical chiefs were not fully included in the response — largely led by police.

Jiverly Wong killed 11 immigrants and two association employees April 3 after barricading himself inside the American Civic Association. The 41-year-old Wong killed himself as police rushed to the scene. Police believe Wong, an immigrant from Vietnam and a former center student, was angry over losing a job and frustrated by his poor English-language skills when he opened fire.

The 47-page report commissioned by Broome County to help improve responses to emergencies did not critique the decisions of Binghamton police officials, who faced criticism that they took too long to enter the building. The review was performed by Maitland, Fla.-based Beck Disaster Recovery.

Authorities later said the victims were so badly hurt that none could have been saved even if police had immediately stormed the center. A separate internal assessment is being conducted by police, the Broome County district attorney, and other agencies.

Among the findings in Tuesday’s report was the need for better integration of communications among law enforcement, fire and EMS, with dispatching handled on a single channel.

It also called for using more public information officers to share news through the media and faulted the city and county for failing to use a statewide electronic system to notify the public via e-mail and text messaging early in the incident. Some information wasn’t shared between public agencies, and there was a lack of disaster-assistance pamphlets available in languages other than English.

Broome County Emergency Services Director and Fire Coordinator Brett Chellis, who requested the review, said Tuesday he believes the findings are accurate and will help drive improvements, including upgraded communications gear and protocols for quickly establishing a central command for emergency responses.

“There’s more coordination needed between the city and the county during crisis situations,” he said, while noting that the city was a full partner in the review. “I think we’ve learned a lot together through it.”

The report also said local governments need a plan for determining which agency should take the lead for human service needs and that local American Red Cross workers should have more training in post-disaster criminal situations.

The review also found major strengths in how city and county agencies handled the shootings, including the quick response from law enforcement and rescue workers, the partnership and integration of city and county resources, the effective lockdowns of a nearby high school and nursing home, and the use of interpreters.

The consultants said county and city personnel demonstrated high levels of experience and training. The county paid Beck nearly $15,000 to review how the shootings were handled.

The Beck report looked only at operations at the 911 center, communication to the media, and the response by Broome’s departments and the county’s nonprofit agencies.